Mobile Suit Gundam 0079: Hearts of Soldier
by Seraphilim
Summary: Follow the events and actions of the 1st Mobile Suit Team as they fight and survive through the One Year War.


It was January 4, U.C. 0079. Following their declaration of independence, Zeon forces had hijacked a colony from Side 1, and were bound for Earth. The Earth Federation, fearing the worst, scrambled their forces to block the Zeon "Operation British". Scattering Salamis and Magellan-class ships along the colony's projected path, General Revil and the other leaders of the EF could only wait and pray.  
  
-January 4. U.C. 0079  
  
-Upper Earth Orbit  
  
A Magellan and two Salamis-class ships made their way in the direction of Side 1, from where the colony had been hijacked. Captain Thomas Abrams sat pensively in the command chair, awaiting any sign of the wayward colony from the operator. Ships of the Tianem Fleet were also in the area, also searching for the Zeon forces, but Abrams' Boston and its two fellow ships Atalia and Norway were thought to be the closest to the colony's last known position. The three ships were not actually part of Tianem's command, but rather of General R. Scott Hughes' fleet, which was now working in tandem with the Tianem Fleet to find and stop Operation British.  
  
"Anything, Lieutenant?"  
  
Abrams looked over at the operator, who shook his head. Nothing. Abrams leaned back. There was no way he would let Zeon get away with this. Not as long as his old heart kept beating.  
  
-Boston Pilot Lounge  
  
Captain Kenzou Yamazaki propped his chin on his hand as he stared out the view-port down at the blue star of water known as Earth. He knew it wasn't actually "below" him, but he got the feeling from the angle he saw it from.  
  
"So, Zeon is going to drop the colony on Earth…"  
  
"I don't think there 's any OTHER place to drop it, Ken."  
  
Sitting across from Ken was another young man, with dirty-blond hair and a white and gray bandanna tied around his head. Lieutenant Lanarow Shade leaned back in his chair, turning his head to also look out the view-port. He noted that two of the other pilots in the lounge were paying attention to their conversation.  
  
"I still can't believe Zeon went this far. I mean, I totally understand why they want independence and all, but this is crazy. I thought they were supposed to be some sorta Republic or something."  
  
Ken looked over at Lanarow with a serious gaze.  
  
"After Daikun died, I don't think that's possible. With the Zabi family under control, I don't know what we can expect."  
  
"Hmph, this "Operation British" gives me a good idea of what to expect from those Zabis."  
  
"Maybe…"  
  
-Boston Bridge  
  
"Sir! I've got something! A very large mass is inbound from 100 kilometers up ahead! I think it's the Island Ifisch!"  
  
The operator turned towards Abrams. The captain nodded.  
  
"That's it. Send out a general broadcast to all EF forces in the area, and give them our coordinates. I want them here ASAP!"  
  
"Sir!"  
  
"Sound the battle alarm! Inform the Atalia and Norway to prepare for battle!"  
  
Abrams keyed in the code for the pilot lounge on his comm.  
  
"Captain Yamazaki! This is Abrams! Get your people ready, we've found Ifisch!"  
  
-Boston Pilot Lounge  
  
Ken stood up quickly and walked over to the communicator in the wall when he heard Abrams' voice. He depressed the "Talk" button.  
  
"Understood Captain. I'll get my pilots out there now."  
  
"Quickly, Yamazaki. We MUST stop the colony."  
  
"Yes sir. Yamazaki out."  
  
The captain turned to the other pilots in the lounge. 'Good,' He thought, 'everyone is here.'  
  
"Get to your FF-3s. We have no time, so I'll fill you in once we get out there."  
  
The five other members of Delta Squadron gave a chorus of acknowledgements before they rushed out of the lounge and headed for the airlocks that lead to their fightercraft. Ken, alone after leaving the room, headed towards the bow of the ship, where his personal fighter was located.  
  
-Boston Bridge  
  
Abrams looked back over at the operator.  
  
"Lieutenant! Anything on the Zeon forces!?"  
  
"Nothing, Captain! Too much Minofsky interference!"  
  
Abrams cursed. That only meant that the Zeon knew the Federal Forces were there. They may have already sent an interception force…  
  
"Captain! I've got something! …People! There's three people out there, 1 o'clock!"  
  
"What!? People? Can you get any sort of identification!?"  
  
The operator magnified the image on his sensor screen, and his eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Wa… wait! Those aren't people! They… they're too big!"  
  
He zoomed in the image, and turned to Abrams with a frightened look on his face.  
  
"R… robots! They're big robots!!"  
  
Abrams slammed a fist down on the arm of his command chair.  
  
"Those Zeon… they have those new mobile suits built for warfare!? Scramble all fighters! NOW!!!"  
  
There was a massive explosion to starboard, and Abrams whipped his view to the right to see what happened. A chill ran down his spine, as he saw the Norway breaking into two halves from a direct hit amidships. He noted with a grim expression that only a single Toriarez fighter had managed to takeoff before the Norway had been hit.  
  
"God…"  
  
"Sir! The Saberfish squad is launching now! The Atalia's Toriarez group is also launching!"  
  
"Good. Are any of Tianem's ships nearby?"  
  
"Tianem's Mariana and several Salamis-class ships are inbound. They say that they'll be here within seven minutes."  
  
"If we can last that long…"  
  
-Outside in Space  
  
Ken checked over his sensors, and found the three Zeon mobile suits heading for them. They must have extinguished their heavy weaponry on their blitz attack on the Norway, because he could see them only carrying what looked like giant machineguns.  
  
"Delta Leader to all fighters. Form up into two groups and defend the Boston and Atalia until we've reached the colony. No fancy heroics or anything. I have no use for people who rush into battle to get themselves killed, understood?"  
  
"Roger."  
  
"Understood."  
  
"This is Eagle Leader, my boys got it clear, Delta One."  
  
"Group B, Lance, you're leader. I'll take Group A."  
  
"Got it Ken, we'll move to intercept those Zeon robots!"  
  
"Careful, Lance."  
  
"No prob."  
  
As three FF-3s and three FF-4s veered off towards the incoming MS, Ken next checked for that lone survivor from the Norway, and found the FF-4 coming up from behind.  
  
"FF-4, what's your status?"  
  
Ken heard a young male voice over the comm.  
  
"This is Drake 2. I'm… all right…"  
  
Ken's jaw clenched for a second. 'Poor kid…' he thought, 'must have hit him hard to lose his buddies like that.' He watched as Lanarow's group began to enter battle with the Zeon MS.  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Uh… Ensign Edward Griffin, sir."  
  
"Form up on my wing, Ensign. I'll keep you alive."  
  
"Yes sir." 


End file.
